While specialists in a single field can be good employees, they can’t become great employees – who can make optimal decisions that move initiatives forward – until they understand how supply chain, finance, strategy, marketing and data analysis all fit together.

"Our graduates are people with the confidence to go into a market and launch products simultaneously into its separate segments," John says.

He also says the distinction between areas of specialist expertise are blurring.

"Major disruption and innovation is going on in most industries, and it’s transforming these organisations into a hybrid of what they started as and need to be, which is a Google of sorts focused on customer experience and adaptation of technology.

"Someone with a holistic business background is now very attractive to these evolving organisations. They’re employing MBAs who understand the customer experience around technology and with the knowhow to change the customer experience to meet customers where they’re at and not where the organisation thinks they should be."

Understanding the challenge

By the time they graduate, our MBA students know companies are looking for new leaders who can help them change. They also understand customers are now more loyal to technology than established brands.

"Australians will now switch banks just to keep their operating system, because they’re more tied to their Android or iPhone than the institution. In 2018, it’s important for businesses to consider how they’re going to operate to retain let alone grow demand," John says.

That change in customer attitude is something John tries to drive home for every student, because it affects every industry.

"Business is becoming more complex, technology is disrupting business to its core and customers’ expectations are ever-changing," says John.

"Through case method, group work and working alongside business leaders during their MBA, our students are forced to think about how to make a business decision that works in even the most complex of markets."